The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-08-12

perity, they want, accoraing TO III
experiences of<>he west, railway Gem
petition, not combination. 1t doe
not seem possible to US that the pro.
perity Of New Hampshire can b
secured by putting the railway sy.
tenn Of the State into the hands of
gigantic, grasping, foreign monopoly
Nor do We believe that the grea
manufacturing industries Of Me-
Hampshire, in which as native c
the State we take great pride, ca
prosper in the future as they have i
the past should the Hazen bill be
come a law, and the RAILROADS of tn
State under its provisions become
part of the Boston and Maine system
"a system that is already so power
full that it seeks to control even the
legislatures of New England.
Bro. Cheney, we cannot help be
lieving that for the prosperity of al
classes Of the citizens of New Hamp
shire, and especially for the develop
ment of her great manufacturing in.
dustries, and the protection Of her
agricultural interests, the railway sys
TEN OF the State in the future, as so
far in the past 1t has been, should re-
maiu IN the hands and under the con
troll of the people ofNew Hampshire.
In that system, and in that system
alone, is there safety for the Com
monwealth.
In another article the Free Press
seeks to show that the proposed com
bination of the railroads in New
Hampshire with the Boston and
Maine system would reduce passen.
ger and freight rates to,he people of
New Hampshire. How it might be
with passenger fsre we cannot say,
but this we know, hat combination
has not decreased them in Michigan.
Ii is just as high today as it was In
1916, and unless forced to do SO by
legislation there does not seem to be
any prospect of reduction in the
future; and, as We personally know,
our local rates today are as high or
higher than they are in New Hamp
shire, yet, for forty one years we have
been according TO the Free Press
logic blessed with railroad combina-
tions, SO far as the freight question
is concerned it certainly is safe to
say there has been no reduction of
freight rates as the result of combi-
nation IN Michigan, and that the life
of our industrial institutions, and
agricultural interests has been crush
ed out by the combination at all non
competing points. That the same
result would follow in New Hamp
shire we have not the least doubt.
THE TINES cannot help expressing
surprise at the course of the New
York Independent on insurance mat
tiers. The fact is "The Compact"
as they are pleased to term The COM
blnation which exists for securing
rates for insurance that are little less
than open highway rob
berry, and to the maintenance of
which they devote whole columns, is
one of the most gigantic monopolies
extant. To such an extent had this
oppression been carried in Michigan
that the people demanded CT the
at the last session its posi-
tive prohibition, and all insurance
were made a misde
meanor. That they should have been
made a felony is public opinion in
this State. rhata liberal paper, as the
Independent is, even for money. be-
cause it is an open secret that all
such articles are paid for at high rates,
should endorse "'rhe Compact" is
past comprehension. The lndepend.
ent claims to be a moral and religious
journal of high character, and, but
for the publication of such articles,
would be regarded as par excellence.
Is it not time for the publisher to call
a halt in this matter?
A% m